


Thought better

by Port_in_a_Storm



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Apologetic Paddy, Bitter Paddy, Established Relationship, Families of Choice, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-08
Updated: 2016-09-08
Packaged: 2018-08-13 22:43:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7988839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Port_in_a_Storm/pseuds/Port_in_a_Storm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Rhona gives up on her relationship with Paddy, Paddy becomes snide and unsupportive of Aaron and Robert’s relationship. Liv opens his eyes to what he’s done.</p><p>Based on a tumblr prompt</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thought better

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! Firstly, thank you so so much for all the support and kind words you've given for Big spender. It really means so much!  
> This fic was based on a prompt from Milly (overlyinvestedinfictionalpeople on tumblr), who said: "Paddy is jealous that Aaron and Robert worked out in the end while he and Rhona crashed and burned. Combined with his already anti-Robert sentiments he gets really snide and unsupportive to Aaron's dismay. Robron get why he might be mad so suffer in silence but Liv's pissed cuz Paddy's supposed to be Aaron's dad & he's acting like an asshat & she is really let down because of all the great things she's heard about him from Aaron, so she gives him an earful"
> 
> Happy reading :)

Aaron noticed, since he returned from France, that Paddy had been avoiding him. It wouldn’t be noticeable to anyone else, and in fact when he had mentioned it to Adam, his friend just frowned and shook his head. ‘Can’t say I’ve noticed,’ he’d said. ‘He’s busy though isn’t he? What with the vet’s place, and Rhona.’

And Aaron had nodded and put it down to his paranoia. 

Except he couldn’t shake the thought that he and Paddy just weren’t the same as they had been.

‘It’s probably because of me,’ Robert said. He stroked Aaron’s back softly, and Aaron revelled in the feel of his boyfriend’s skin against his as they lay curled around each other in bed. If he could help it, he didn’t want to be apart from Robert as long as he had done. He was pleased that he hadn’t had to leave Liv alone, or that he hadn’t had to miss the course, but he missed Robert terribly. 

Aaron turned a questioning frown on his boyfriend. ‘What d’you mean? Not everything is about you, you know.’

Robert chuckled at the teasing lilt to Aaron’s voice. ‘I _meant_ Paddy doesn’t like me, does he? So he probably doesn’t approve of us.’

‘He’s had _loads_ of time to get used to it,’ Aaron argued. ‘I’ve told him everything: about you moving in, about the way you’ve been with Liv… he always sounded supportive.’

‘Well, there’s hearing about it over the phone and actually seeing it, isn’t there.’

The younger man lifted his shoulder in a shrug. ‘S’pose. Wish I knew for sure. I miss him.’

Robert was silent for a moment, then he kissed Aaron’s head. ‘I know a way I can take your mind off it,’ he said.

Aaron grinned and lifted his head to accept his boyfriend’s kiss.

****

Paddy was in the back room of the pub the next morning when they came downstairs for breakfast. Although he smiled at Aaron, he didn’t engage him in conversation the way he usually would. Aaron looked at Robert and raised his eyebrows; Robert nodded in reply, understanding the look.

‘You alright, Paddy?’ Aaron greeted. ‘Cuppa?’

‘No, ta. Your Mum said to come through –she’s gonna be here in a bit.’

‘Right.’ Aaron clicked the kettle on. He folded his arms, feeling defensive and self-conscious about the silence. ‘So, uh… how’s things with Rhona?’

Paddy’s shoulders stiffened a little. ‘I’d rather not talk about it, actually.’

‘Oh. Right. Sorry.’ For a while, the only sound in the room was the water boiling, and Aaron scooping sugar into two mugs. 

‘How’s things going at the vet practice?’ Robert asked. 

‘Fine.’

‘Must be awkward working with Rhona, eh? I guess I escaped that after my divorce—’

‘Are you just… _trying_ to rub it in my face?’ Paddy suddenly snapped. ‘Yes, I know that Rhona still works in the practice, yes it’s awkward. I don’t need someone like _you_ remindin’ me!’

‘Paddy, mate, he was only askin’—’

‘And I don’t need _you_ piping up to his defence either!’ He said it with such coldness that Aaron actually took a step back. ‘He’s taking you for a _mug_ , Aaron! As soon as he’s bored, he’s gonna move on!’

‘Paddy!’

‘Tell your Mum I couldn’t wait.’ He got up and stomped out of the room. Aaron tried to swallow around his tears, but he couldn’t. Something about Paddy turning his back on him made him feel like that kid again, the one that was suddenly made homeless because his Mum couldn’t keep her hands off Carl, and Paddy didn’t want anything to do with him.

Robert noticed and held him close. ‘He’s going through a lot right now, Baby,’ he soothed. ‘It’s nothing personal.’

‘Nothing personal?’ Aaron shouted. ‘Did you not hear what he said? He said that you’d get bored and implied I was stupid for falling for you!’

‘Aaron, don’t you get it?’ Robert sighed. ‘He’s… look, he and Rhona didn’t work out, but you and I did. The most unlikely couple, in his eyes.’

Aaron frowned. ‘No,’ he said, ‘but he’s always been so supportive. _Every_ time I called him in Germany, he asked how things were, and he sounded _happy_ for me! For _us_.’

‘That was in Germany, before he knew he had lost Rhona for good.’

He thought about it. It all made sense: the way that Paddy had been before he realised he had lost Rhona, the way he behaved now that she had said that she was happy with Pierce… and here was Aaron and Robert, in their loved up bubble. ‘So… so what do we do?’ he asked.

‘Do? Nothing! It’s his problem—if he wants to get on that way with us, I don’t see why we should change how we are.’

‘But… but he—’

‘I know, Aaron. I know that he’s like a Dad to you. But he shouldn’t _be_ this way. He should just be happy for you, regardless of what he’s going through.’

Aaron shrugged. ‘I guess.’

It didn’t stop him from feeling terrible though, and that feeling only increased over the next few days. 

****

‘Still can’t get over them two, you know,’ Paddy said to Chas. He had been watching Aaron and Robert for the past hour in the Woolpack. Not that they were being especially affectionate, but he couldn’t keep his eyes off them. ‘What he sees in Robert flamin’ Sugden I’ll never know.’

Chas sighed. ‘None of us will ever know that, love. But Aaron likes him, so that has to be good enough. He makes Aaron happy.’

Paddy snorted. ‘Yeah, until the next new squeeze comes along.’

Chas stepped back, a little stunned at the bitterness in her old friend’s voice. ‘As Aaron’s father figure I would have thought you’d be happy for them,’ she said quietly, not wanting to alert the couple. ‘You saw yourself what he went through this year, and you _know_ how much Robert was there for him.’

‘Yes! Wh-which will make it even _harder_ when Robert leaves him!’

‘What’s this?’ 

They both jumped at hearing Aaron’s voice. ‘Aaron!’ Chas said. ‘Nothing, love, we were just—’

‘ _I_ was just saying that Robert will leave you,’ Paddy said. He was slurring. He was clearly a little drunk. ‘And you’re too flamin’ stupid to see it.’

‘That’s enough now, Paddy,’ Chas hissed. ‘And I think,’ she took the pint from his hand, ‘you’ve had enough of these as well.’

‘Fine,’ the man snapped. ‘With company like yours, who needs enemies, eh?’

‘Paddy,’ Aaron said. ‘Come on, we’re meant to be mates!’

But he didn’t even glance at him, just walked out the door. Aaron could feel the tears in his eyes, but he tried to hold them back. ‘Oh, love,’ Chas said. ‘He doesn’t mean anything by it. He’s just… going through his own stuff.’

Aaron went through to the back, followed quickly by Chas and Robert. 

‘Aaron!’ Chas shouted. ‘Love!’

‘He’s meant to be my dad!’ Aaron cried. Robert immediately went to hug him when he saw the tears on his boyfriend’s cheeks. ‘He’s meant to care about me, but he-he’s just… _winding me up_. Why can’t he just be happy for us?’

Unbeknownst to them, Liv had come out to the landing when she heard the commotion. She had heard a lot about Paddy from her brother, and even from Chas. From the way they talked, it was as if the sun shined whenever he bent over. Determined, especially after hearing the way that Aaron broke down, she snuck out through the back door and went to Marlon’s.

‘Is Paddy there?’

Marlon’s face was a picture. If the situation wasn’t so dire, she’d probably find some kind of joke to make about it. But she was resolute, and she pushed her way past him without waiting for an answer. She found Paddy on the sofa, a remote in hand as he flicked through channels in his slightly drunken haze.

‘I need to speak to you,’ she said. ‘About Aaron.’

‘Oh, has he been dumped already, has he?’ Paddy shook his head. ‘Pass on my condolences.’

‘No, he hasn’t actually! You should see them over there, huggin’ and everythin’.’ She caught his flinch and her rage spiked. ‘But he’s cryin’ you know! Because of you!’

‘Me?’

‘Yeah! I heard a lot about you from Aaron: how you’re one of the best things to happen to him, how even when his Mum left you for Carl King you let him stick around, and how you never gave up on him!’

Paddy looked away, clearly ashamed, but Liv wasn’t finished. ‘I thought if there was anyone I’d really like to meet, it’d be Paddy. But now I have and… gotta admit I’m not impressed. I don’t know why Aaron looked up to you as much as he did.’ She gave him one final look up and down, before leaving the house. She had to go and check on her brother.

****

Early that morning, before Robert even woke, Aaron went downstairs for a drink of water. He couldn’t sleep; couldn’t stop thinking about Paddy and the things he had said to him. This was worst than when he went to Germany: at least then he knew that he was just on the other side of a phone or a computer. Now… who was he supposed to turn to?

There was a knock on the door. Aaron ignored it, thinking it to be kids or maybe Charity having forgotten her keys. But then the knock came again.

He got up to answer it before it woke the whole house, and was more than a little shocked to see Paddy standing there.

‘Come to have another go, have you?’ Aaron said tiredly.

‘Aaron, I—’ He looked down at the ground before managing to find Aaron’s eyes again. ‘Can I come in?’

He wanted to turn him away, but he knew that Paddy was the only thing that had kept him going for a lot of the time. Before his Mum cared as much as she did, and before Robert, Aaron had had Paddy. He stepped back into the house and left the door open.

‘I—I know I need to apologise,’ Paddy said.

‘Finally realised, have you?’

‘Yeah. Well, Liv came to see me last night. Made me see sense.’

Aaron frowned. ‘Liv—what did she say? I didn’t send her!’

‘I know you didn’t. That’s not your style. She—she said a few things that made me think. About how… how _close_ we are, me and you. And how I let you down. Last night.’

Aaron folded his arms around him. His defensive position. ‘Yeah. You hurt me, Paddy. All those things you said. You’re supposed to _support_ me.’

‘And I do!’ Paddy said. ‘I do, Aaron. It’s just… seeing you and _Robert_ —’

‘Paddy!’

‘Sorry! S-seeing you and Robert the way you are… happy and… and in love reminds me that I’m not _there_ with Rhona anymore. And it’s hard, you know.’

‘Yeah, I do know Paddy,’ Aaron said. ‘I’ve broken up with people before, but I don’t take it out on my family!’

‘I know. And maybe that’s why you’re better than me.’

Aaron rolled his eyes. ‘Don’t be soft! Just—just don’t be an idiot! Just because me and Robert worked out, doesn’t mean that you can take out your… issues on us.’

‘I know.’

‘I know what I’ve got myself into, Paddy. I know full well that me and Robert started as an affair. I know we have issues, and we’ll keep on having issues. I know all of that, and I don’t need you tellin’ me, alright? What I need from you…’ he suddenly choked on a sob. ‘What I need is for you to be my Dad. Like you used to be.’

‘Oh mate.’ Paddy stepped forward and gathered Aaron in his arms. ‘I am so _so_ sorry. I was an idiot, and I—I know I don’t deserve it if… if you do forgive me.’

Aaron sniffed and drew back from Paddy to dry his eyes. ‘I said don’t be soft, didn’t I,’ he said. ‘Paddy, you’re my Dad. I—you couldn’t do…’ He shook his head. He couldn’t express himself, but he hoped that Paddy knew what he meant: that he couldn’t do anything that Aaron wouldn’t forgive. 

Paddy did seem to understand, because he drew Aaron back into his arms again. ‘You’re my son, Aaron,’ he whispered. ‘And I _promise_ I will try to be worthy of that.’

****

Later, in the pub, Robert found a pint being placed in front of him. ‘Peace offering,’ Paddy said. ‘For,’ he gestured behind him, ‘yesterday.’

‘It’s not me you have to apologise to,’ Robert said.

‘I know, and I—I have apologised to Aaron.’

Robert nodded. Paddy sat opposite him. ‘Me and you… we’re never going to see eye to eye,’ Paddy said. ‘After everything, I’m still surprised that Aaron let you into his life. But… I know that you were there for him this year. A—and I love him enough to accept that.’

‘Good. All he wants is your support, Paddy,’ Robert said. ‘He doesn’t want us to sit down and braid each other’s hair of a Sunday, well I mean,’ he gestured to the man’s head and a laugh fell out of Paddy’s mouth. ‘He just wants you to be happy for him.’

‘And you do make him happy,’ Paddy said. ‘I see that now. That, the other day… that was because of my own stuff.’

‘I figured as much. Still—’

‘Still isn’t an excuse, I know. He’s my son, Robert. In—in _everything_ but blood. I won’t hurt him again.’

Robert suddenly smirked. ‘Weird, this. Being the one to do the “you hurt him and I’ll make you pay” thing when he’s your son.’

Paddy chuckled. ‘Yeah. Well, that still stands you know. Hurt him and I’ll make your life hell!’

They smiled at each other, coming to the agreement. For Aaron.

**Author's Note:**

> Come have a nosy on tumblr!: [Port in a Storm](http://www.portinastorm.tumblr.com)


End file.
